Speech by SCST at opening ceremony of Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival 2026
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, at the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival 2026 today (October 29):
Dr Peter Lam, Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Mr Fabien Robert, Deputy Mayor of Bordeaux, Mr Philippe Tapie, President of the Bordeaux Wine Council, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law. Photo source: reference image
Good evening. Some say, "There's no place like home." Standing here at the Central Harbourfront tonight, looking out across our iconic skyline, it is impossible to disagree. To see our harbour light up, - bringing together fine wines from old and new worlds, extraordinary delicacies and international celebrity chefs under the theme "Taste the World's Best" - reminds everyone why Hong Kong is so special, and why our status as culinary capital is second to none.
If you look around this venue tonight, you will see a miniature map of global gastronomy. From the prestigious selections at the Grand Wine Pavilion to the exceptional creations of our luxury hotel partners along the Hotel Boulevard, and the star-studded chef line-up in the tasting room, tonight is a celebration of culinary excellence at its finest.
The celebration, however, does not end even when these four days of festivities conclude this Sunday night. Throughout November, the excitement extends citywide through the Hong Kong Gourmet Month campaign. Collaborating with restaurants and bars across the city, we are introducing limited edition dishes, unique experiences, dining discounts, and the new Hong Kong Late-Night Dining Guide - all aiming to showcase our vibrant after-dark dining scene.
These are just a few examples of our efforts to drive "mega event + tourism". As recently announced in Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan and 2026 Policy Address, we will expand the scale of our flagship events, add more "Only in Hong Kong" elements, and integrate events with tourism to enhance their appeal - for the purpose of extending visitors' stays and generating added value and momentum. To this end, we have established a mega-event framework that organises the year around three themes, bringing us a continuous stream of major events. From September to February next year is our Festive Mega Events Season. In addition to this Wine & Dine Festival, we look forward to the Christmas immersive light shows at Hong Kong WinterFest in November, followed by the Hong Kong New Year Countdown Celebrations and the International Chinese New Year Night Parade in the months ahead. Between these major highlights are countless equally fascinating events across the city, spanning culture, sports, music, cuisine and so much more. Each is a compelling showcase of Hong Kong's festive atmosphere and its convergence of Chinese and international cultures to visitors from around the world. Beyond the Festive Mega Events Season, we will present the International Arts Season from February to May and the Chinese Arts Season from June to September. With such a rich and diverse programme, every visitor can find something they love.
Every mega event we host is an invaluable stage on which to tell good stories of Hong Kong, and an opportunity to share the unique charm and endless potential of the place we proudly call home. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you once again for joining us tonight at the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival. I hope you enjoy the fine wine, marvelous food, and wonderful atmosphere, and I wish you all a truly memorable evening in the company of great friends and family.
Thank you.
The Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival. Photo source: reference image
Hospital Authority responds to Office of Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data investigation report
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The spokesperson for the Hospital Authority (HA) said today (October 30) that the HA notes the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) has completed the investigation, and published the report today, regarding a suspected incident of patient data theft and the unlawful uploading of the data onto a third-party platform in the Kowloon East Cluster (KEC) in April this year. The HA accepts the investigation findings and recommendations, and will take appropriate action to seriously follow up on them. The HA will continue to strengthen its security of information system to ensure that hospital operations, patient services and personal data security are stringently protected.
The Hospital Authority. Photo source: reference image
In April this year, the HA's routine surveillance system detected a suspected incident of patient data theft in the KEC. The incident was an isolated event involving the management of data access control of a contractor during maintenance works in a peripheral clinical system, resulting in the theft of some patient data. The HA attaches great importance to the incident and had proactively reported it to Police and the PCPD in a timely manner. The Police subsequently arrested a staff member from the contractor on suspicion of access to a computer with dishonest intent. The HA has been fully co-operating with Police and the PCPD in the investigation. As the Police's criminal investigation is ongoing, it is not appropriate to further comment on the incident at this stage.
The HA takes the PCPD's recommendations on the protection of personal data seriously. Following the incident, the KEC immediately put in place a series of measures and conducted a comprehensive review, implementing a comprehensive strategy to strengthen the security of information system and oversight of contractors, including the procedures recommended by the PCPD, to prevent unauthorised access to the personal data of patients and staff through system maintenance work. The measures include:
- strictly requiring that whenever contractor personnel access the system on-site, they must be accompanied by duly authorised hospital information technology (IT) staff, with records kept of the contractor personnel's identity, purpose of access, time of operation, and equipment brought in and taken out;
- regularly auditing data access of the information systems concerned, and requiring contractors to submit audit reports to the HA periodically, reporting any anomalous, unauthorised or suspicious activities;
- strengthening oversight of contractors' access rights, configuring data access rights according to roles and functions, restricting use to authorised personnel and approved circumstances, and allowing data exports only under specifically approved circumstances; and
- regularly conducting independent security risk assessments and audits of the systems concerned by the cluster's IT department together with the Information Technology and Health Informatics Division of HA Head Office, in accordance with the HA Information Security Policy.
The KEC has previously informed and expressed an apology to the patients and staff affected through different channels.
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data. Photo source: reference image
The spokesperson emphasised that the HA has always attached great importance to the security of information systems and personal data privacy. The HA will continue to monitor the operation of its information systems around the clock and, should any anomaly be detected, appropriate contingency measures to safeguard the privacy of patients and staff will be taken promptly. The HA will also maintain close liaison with the PCPD and other law enforcement agencies, as well as professional cybersecurity organisations, to exchange security information and intelligence; continuously enhance system security; strengthen internal training, data management policies and guidelines; regularly conduct tests and reviews; and adopt up-to-date security technologies and solutions to effectively prevent any unlawful acts.
